There is a seemingly endless list of multiplayer games out there requiring you to be in “srs biznss” mode if you want to play them with other people and have some semblance of a good time while doing so. While I do enjoy such games on a regular basis, every now and then I want to sit down and play something that forces me to throw all semblance of seriousness out the window and just have fun. Bonus points if I can’t stop smiling while playing. Second Chance Heroes is a perfect fit in that regard.
Second Chance Heroes is an arcade-style multiplayer action game being created by Rocket City Studios. Anywhere from one to four people can hop into either a public or private match and enjoy tongue-in-cheek gameplay reminiscent of the Gauntlet game I used to pump quarter after quarter into in the local mall’s arcade. A more modern comparison would probably be Diablo (especially the cow level).
The premise behind the game is that the Apocalypse has arrived in the form of evil robots, zombies, zombie hobos, and more! The population of the world is unable to deal with this threat to their existence on their own, of course, so instead manages to clone famous leaders from our history and convince them to fight on their behalf. You know, like you do when faced with imminent death.
Anywhere from one to four players start off the game with access to Heroes like Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Queen Elizabeth I. Two of the Heroes you have available must be selected for each level and you can switch between them at any point in the game. More Heroes are unlocked as you progress through the game and meet each level’s goals allowing you to add the likes of Blackbeard, Nikola Tesla, Julius Caesar, and the ever radiant Marie Curie to your arsenal.
[blockquote]”I know what you’re thinkin’… It’s time for Lincoln!”[/blockquote]
While these people may be well known to you, Rocket City Studios’ take on them in the game is much different than most would expect which is what makes Second Chance Heroes such a hilariously enjoyable game. Honest Abe shows up as a tattooed chainsaw-wielder, Napoleon rides around on a cannon, and the Queen lays down the law with Gatling-gun in hand(s). Similar tongue-firmly-in-cheek takes on the other characters is par for the course with this game.
While Second Chance Heroes is currently in Closed Beta, it is slated to launch in 2013 with twelve Heroes available and twenty-four levels to play through. Keep in mind, each Hero can be upgraded in-game and there are lots of special items to earn in-game while playing so the replay value of the game based on that alone is very high. Not to mention the fact that mowing down zombie hobos with the Queen’s Gatling-gun just never gets old. Rocket City also plans on adding new levels and Heroes via DLC packs at regular intervals.
To read more on the game, and sign up for their beta, head over to their official website. They’re also on Steam’s Greenlight so if you like what you see, be sure to vote for them there as well. In the meantime, you can watch a bunch of us noobing it up in the game in our playtest shown here!
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